The 5 Things That Matter More Than Making Money

As an entrepreneur, you put too much time and energy into your venture not to make massive amounts of cash. Bringing in money is vital for you and your team members, who depend on you for their livelihoods.

But some things are more important than money and ignoring them will make your money worthless. Here are the top five things that should take priority over the dollar in your day-to-day.

1. Your faith

This isn’t religious faith, although that can be part of it. The faith I’m talking about is the faith you have in yourself, your dream and your business. Without this faith, it doesn’t matter how good your product or service is.

I’ve seen doubt destroy businesses that could have changed the world. It almost got me. When it feels like everyone you trust is out to get you, it’s hard to keep the faith.

But the moment you lose faith in your business, think your dream is a bit much or believe someone else would do things better, you’re done. You might as well quit and go work for someone else — someone who oozes faith.

Prefer to do things your way? You have to believe in yourself and every aspect of your business. Sure, you’ll make tweaks to how you do things, but you’ll do it because you believe in what you’re doing and want to do it better.

2. Your health

As an entrepreneur, you spend more waking hours thinking about your business than anyone else. If something goes south, it’s on your shoulders. This can be dangerous. It can lead you to think that if you’re not working on your business all day, every day, the business will fail.

Trust your people. Let them do their jobs and then go do yours. Make sure the business is strong. Research new ways to make it stronger. Get feedback from your team and put a game plan in place.

All the while, watch what you eat. Keep an eye on your waistline. Get to the gym or keep playing your favorite sport. A strong, sharp mind demands a strong, sharp body, so push it hard. You don’t have to be a bodybuilder. Just set goals, reach them, then set new ones. It’ll train you to do the same with your business.

Not feeling the best? Be proactive and go to the doctor. Your business needs the best possible you. That means taking care of yourself so you can think clearly and lead your team into a future full of success.

3. Your family

You want to give your kids a better life than you had growing up. But hunting for another dollar when you should be at home could cost you your family. Most people wish they could spoil their spouse and kids, but what your family really wants is you.

Being there for them might mean you’re up so early that half of your workday is done before anyone else wakes up. That way by the time five o’clock strikes, you’re already back home.

If you’re spending all night at the office when your family is waiting for you, it’s not because you’re a hard worker. It’s because you suck at time management, productivity and setting boundaries. When you dial in your habits and become a true high performer, you make more money and have more time for your family.

4. Your experiences

You live once, then you die. There’s no way around it. Sitting in an office all day, every day makes no sense. You became the boss so you could live life to the fullest, so live it.

Be spontaneous. Take opportunities to travel. Meet a celebrity who happens to be passing through town. You can impress some people with your bank account, but memories and stories of life experiences enrich your life and engage people in ways money can’t.

As an added bonus, life experiences do more than give you good stories. They give you good ideas. They shape the way you see the world. They can shake you up enough to have breakthroughs and solve a problem at work that’s plagued you for months.

5. Your legacy

After you’re dead and gone, your legacy is the only thing that’s going to stick with people. You can leave a pile of money to your loved ones, but it’s who you were while you lived that will impact them.

Put as much time and energy into your legacy as your business. If you want to be remembered for bringing value and joy to the world, you have to do more than stare at your bank account.

Make people your priority. Treat them with kindness and compassion. Give generously to the charities close to your heart. Listen when someone needs to talk.

You won’t wish you’d done things differently. You won’t fear what people will say about you when you’re gone. You’ll be content knowing you put the interest of others first, both in your daily life and in your business ventures. That is a legacy anyone would want.

Money makes it easier to take care of your health, legacy and family. It opens the door to experiences and helps you keep your faith alive. However, money can’t replace any of these things, so don’t look at money for your satisfaction. Work hard to earn enormous amounts of cash, then use it to live a great life!